We Wrongly File Money Laundering Charges Against Bobrisky Due To His Confession - EFCC ~ OsazuwaAkonedo
We Wrongly File Money Laundering Charges Against Bobrisky Due To His Confession - EFCC ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Bobrisky #Idris #NCS #news #Okuneye #VeryDarkMan https://osazuwaakonedo.news/we-wrongly-file-money-laundering-charges-against-bobrisky-due-to-his-confession-efcc/30/09/2024/ #EFCC Published: September 30th, 2024 Reshared: October 3, 2024 6:34 pm Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has stated before Nigeria Lawmakers
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00:00Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
00:03EFCC has stated before Nigerian lawmakers that the Commission wrongly filed money laundering charges against a popular cross-purser, Idris Okunye aka Bob Risky because of his confessional statement.
00:16EFCC on Monday while speaking before the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives investigating allegations of bribery and corrupt practices against some officials of the EFCC and Nigeria Correctional Service following an audio voice message that appears to be the voice of Bob Risky that was made available to the public by an activist, Martins Ose Vincent aka Veridakman.
00:40EFCC said they initially thought that Bob Risky Farm, Bob Express was among the special kind of businesses and activities that are mandated by law to be registered with Special Control Units against money laundering, SCUM due to Bob Risky confessional statement.
00:58But the money laundering charges were dropped after EFCC wrote a letter of confirmation to SCUM and the Special Control Unit wrote back to EFCC that Okunye's farm, Bob Express, was not among designated non-financial institution, business and profession, DSNF-IBP.
01:17It could be interesting to note that designated non-financial institution, business and profession, DSNF-IBP are kind of businesses and professional services often used by people to launder money abroad.
01:32The businesses and professions include casinos, entities that engage in gaming and gambling activities, which involve significant cash transactions.
01:43Real estate agents, professionals who deal with buying and selling of properties, often involving substantial amounts of money.
01:52Dealers in precious metals and stones, businesses that trade in high-value goods, which can be used to convert illicit cash into valuable assets.
02:02Lawyers, notaries, and other independent legal professionals, individuals who assist in buying and selling of property, managing client money, securities, and other assets, and other activities that may involve substantial value.
02:20Accountants, professionals who manage financial records and transactions, which can potentially be manipulated for money laundering.
02:29Trusts and company service providers, entities that provide services related to the creation and management of companies and trusts.
02:38EFCC, in a news release some hours ago, said,
03:08ACJA, Bala, head of the prosecution team that handled the trial of Okuneye pointed out to the committee that the charges were
03:19Bala, head of the prosecution team that handled the trial of Okuneye pointed out to the committee that the charges were
03:27based on the disclosure of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCOM, that Okuneye's firm, Bob Express, was not a designated non-financial institution, business and profession, DSNF-IVP,
03:42and could not be prosecuted for flouting provisions of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
03:49We initially raised six count charges bordering on Naira abuse and money laundering against Okuneye based on his confessional statement that his firm, Bob Express, was not registered with SCOM and was not rendering returns to it.
04:04Counts 1 to 4 were on Naira abuse, while counts 5 and 6 were on money laundering.
04:11Okuneye's confession that he didn't register his firm, Bob Express, with SCUML and not rendering returns to it informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six count charges.
04:25However, when we wrote to SCOM on the status of the firm, the unit responded that it was not a designated non-financial institution, business and profession, DSNF-IVP.
04:38We cannot lawfully sustain the charges in all sincerity. We, therefore, dropped them and relied on the four counts on Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty, she said.
04:51The prosecutor dismissed claims of financial inducement in dropping charges maintaining that no such thing happened.
04:58There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows amendment of charges.
05:08It is a professional practice. It is laughable for anyone to attribute our decision to monetary issues.
05:15Why did we write to SCUML if we didn't want to include the charges?
05:19We wrote to be lawfully guided and when the unit responded that the firm had not breached any law, on what basis should we have returned the money laundering charges, she said.
05:31Bala, who appeared before the committee with top management staff of the EFCC, charged the committee to critically look into all the issues raised against the EFCC and make public its findings in the interest of justice.
05:46Chief of staff to the EFCC's chairman, commander of the EFCC, CE Michael Anzekwe who stood for the chairman, Oda Olukoyede restated the seriousness the commission attached to integrity of its staff.
06:01We viewed the allegation of bribery against our officers seriously. Integrity is one of our core values.
06:08This is why we are here to place all the facts involved in the trial of Okuneye in the public domain, he said.
06:16Okuneye, an ex-convict, had alleged in a viral video that he offered 15 million nairas as a bribe to some unnamed EFCC officers to drop money laundering charges against him.
06:30Sasuwa Konedo, Rengeri, Youth 3 News in a more digital way.